Rat-trap.



A. DOMBOWSK'I.

RAT TRAP.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 16, 1912.

1,055,890. Patented Mar. 11, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES INVENTOR %MZZ flomfiqa/afii I l I I ATTORNS-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA c1 A. DOMBOWSKI.

RAT TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 16. 1912.

1,055,890. Patented Mar.11,1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES INVENTOR ANTI-TONI DOMBOWSKI, OF SEANOR, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAT-TRAP.

Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented Mar. 11, 1913.

Application filed April 16, 1912. Serial No. 691,086.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, ANTHONI DOMBOW- snr, a S'LllOJGCt of the Czar ofRussia, residing at Seanor, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRat-Traps, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to rat traps, and the objects of my invention areto provide a trap wherein electricity is used for shocking andelectrocuting rats and other rodents, and to provide a structure whereintrap doors are employed for entrapping a rat or rodent.

Other objects of my invention are to furnish a trap of the above typewith a receptacle for collecting the bodies of rodents after they havebeen electroouted, and to provide an electric rat trap that can besafely used and handled. VVit-h the above and other objects in view theinvention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangementof parts to be hereinafter specifically described and then claimed.

Reference will now be had to the drawings wherein like numerals denotecorresponding parts throughout the several views in which Figure 1 is aside elevation of the trap. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view ofthe same. v Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of the trap, and Fig.4 is adiagrammatic view illustrating the electrical connections of the trap. v

A trap in accordance with this invention comprises a rectangularreceptacle 1 having the end wall 2 thereof provided with a hinged lid 3.V I

The lid 3 is provided with a hinged hasp 4 adapted to fit over a staple5, carried by the end wall 6 ofthe receptacle 1. A padlock 7, seal orother device can be placed in engagement with the staple 5 to hold thehasp 4 in engagement therewith. The receptacle 1 can contain a liquid 8,as a disinfectant or deodorant.

Riveted or otherwise connected,as at 9 to the lid 3 is an oblong bottomplate 10 having a central raised portion 11 provided with an opening 12vertically alining with an opening 13 in the lid 3. Secured to the underside of the raised portion 11 by rivets or other fastening means 14 is achute 15 that extends into the opening 13.

The rivets 9 hold the lower flanged edges 16 of transverse door supports17 and hinged, as at 18 to the upper edges of the supports 17 are trapdoors 19, corresponding in width to the supports 17. The trap doors 19are supported normally in a horizontal position by flat springs 20 heldupon the raised portion 11 of the bottom plate 10 by the rivets 14. Thesprings 20 are located centrally of the under side of the trap doors .19and said trap doors are limited in their upward movement by projections21 of straps 22 and 22 riveted or otherwise connected, as at 23 to theraised portion 11 of the bottom plate 10. The inner ends of the trapdoors are cut away, as at 24 and the inner ends of said trap doors, atone side 7 thereof, are adapted to wipe a contact block 25 locatedwithin the strap 22.

Secured to the strap 22 is another contact block 26 and pivotallymounted between said :straps and engaging the block 26 are auxiliarytrap doors 27 normally closing the Supper end of the chute 15. Thepivoted edges of the trap doors 27 are provided with eyes 28 connectedby coiled Wires 29 to an v eye 30 carried by the block 26 whereby thedoors are electrically connected to the latter. Arranged over the bottomplate 10 is a "semi-cylindrical hood 31 having the ends f thereofprovided with lateral flanges 32 riveted or otherwise connected, as at33 to the under side of the bottom plate 10, at the ends thereof. Thehood 31 has ventilating openings 34 and a central opening 35. A block 36is arranged within the opening 35, said block having a bait holder 37for a bait 38.

An electric generator, battery cells or any suitable source of electricenergy can be used in connection with the trap. For the con venience ofillustration there is illustrated a battery 39 connected by a wire 40 toa binding post 41, carried by the contact block 25. Another wire 42connects the battery to a binding post 43, carried by the contact 26.The Wires 40 and 42 extend through openings 44 provided therefor in thewall of the receptacle 1, the hood 31 and the strap 22.

The reference numeral 45 denotes throughout the drawings suitableinsulation, as fiber, it being necessary to use insulation at theconnections of various parts of the trap to prevent grounding or shortcircuiting of the electric current. As instances of its use, thesupports 17 are insulated from the bottom plate 10, the springs 20insulated from the bottom plate 10, the auxiliary trap doors insulatedfrom the straps 22 and 22 and from the chute 15, and the contact blocks25 and 26 insulated from their supports. Other insulation can be used toinsure proper electrical connections.

A rat or rodent attempting to obtain the bait 38 must jump or crawl uponone of the trap doors 19. This door is normally in an open circuit andas the door opens by the weight of a rat, the rat is deposited upon oneof the auxiliary trap doors 27. The auxiliary trap door 27 is also in anormally open circuit and the circuit is completed by the rats body. Therat is shocked to that extent that it cannot escape, as the auxiliarydoor 27 is opening and eventually the rat is deposited in the receptacle1.

The coiled wires 29 serve as springs and the auxiliary doors 27 arerestored to their normal position immediately upon the rat passing intothe chute 15. The springs 20 restore the doors 19 to their normalposition.

It is thought that the operation and utility (f the trap Will beapparent without further description, and while in the drawings there isillustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to beunderstood that the structural elements are susceptible to suchvariations as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a rat trap, the combination with a suitable source of electricenergy, of a receptacle, a hinged lid carried thereby, abottom platesecured to said lid and having a central raised portion provided with anopening alining with an opening in said lid, a hood secured to saidbottom plate, tiltable trap doors arranged within said hood and in anopen circuit with one side of said source of electric energy, auxiliarytrap doors closing the opening of the raised portion of said bottomplate and in an open circuit with the other side of said source ofelectric energy and adapted to be placed in a complete circuit by a bodyconnecting the first mentioned trap doors and said auxiliary trap doors,and means for normally retaining said trap doors in a closed position.-

2. In a rat trap, the combination with a suitable source of electricenergy, of a receptacle, a bottom plate secured to the top of saidreceptacle, said bottom plate having a central raised portion providedwith an opening alining with an opening in the top of said receptacle, achute arranged in said opening, trap door supports carried by saidbottom plate, trap doors hinged to said supports and normally in an opencircuit with one side of said source of electric energy, trap doorsnormally closing said chute and in an open circuit with the other sideof said source of electric energy, a hood having the ends thereofsecured to said bottom plate, a bait holder. arranged centrally of thetop of said hood and means for normally retaining said trap doors in aclosed position.

8. In a rat trap, the combination with a suitable source of electricenergy, of a receptacle, a bottom plate carried by the top thereof, achute supported by said bottom plate in" the top of said receptacle,trap door supports carried by said bottom plate, trap doors hinged tosaid supports and normally retained in a closed position, trap doorsnormally closing said chute, a contact block normally engaged by thefirst mentioned trap doors and in an open circuit with one side of saidsource of electric energy, a contact block normally engaged by saidauxiliary trap doors and adapted to be placed in circuit with the otherside of said source of electric energy and the first mentioned trapdoors by the body of a rat, a bait holder arranged above the firstmentioned trap doors, and means for normally maintaining all of saidtrap doors in a closed position.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

ANTHONI DOMBOIVSKI. \Vi tnesses IVALTER E. MEEK, J. ANToNI Czvncnnr.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

